Life skills are the ability to adapt and behave positively, enabling individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life, per WHO. These skills play a crucial role in people’s lives, especially children’s, to deal with things they are bound to face as they grow up. Thus, parents must teach their kids some basic life skills by age 10 to help make their journey easier. You will be surprised to note how efficient your children are and how quickly they learn new things.
Your kid should know how to prepare at least one meal as a basic life skill
We are not saying to teach your kids how to prepare curries and lavish meals. That can wait until they are a little older, as cooking with heat is no joke. For now, start with the basics. Ask for their help in the kitchen to crack the eggs, mix the flour, mix salads, chop fruits (with a kid-friendly knife), and so on.
Give them age-appropriate kitchen tasks in which they can learn and grow. Also, there will be spills, messes, and tons of clean-up involved in the process of learning. However, you must keep calm if you want your kid to learn this basic life skill. Letting them help in the kitchen is highly rewarding as you can see your children improve in their tasks gradually and do a much better job as days pass.
Once they learn the basics, teach some no-stove meals, such as overnight oatmeal with nuts, bread with jam and fruits, salads, smoothies, etc. After they master these, you can teach them other recipes (but only if you think they are ready to operate an oven or stovetop). However, be strict about them being allowed to use heat under your supervision only.
Cleaning up after themselves is an essential life skill that will help them throughout their lives
Stop cleaning your kids’ messes. Trust us, this will do your kids no good. No matter your child’s age, teach them the importance of cleaning up after playing or creating a mess in the kitchen. Turn this tedious task into a fun activity for your little ones by checking which of your kids keep their toys in the basket first, how long it takes them to clean up the room, etc.
Moreover, don’t just limit the clean-up duty to their toys. Dusting, vacuuming their room (if not the house), folding their clothes, doing laundry, etc., also falls under this department. This basic life skill will help your children understand your efforts in keeping the house organized and help them immensely as they grow up. Furthermore, this will take some load off your shoulders, so it’s a win-win.
Knowing their route back home is a basic life skill that will bring you some peace of mind
Google Maps/GPS can surely help your kids with this. However, one can’t always rely on technology, especially in case of emergency. Hence, be it your 4-year-old or 10-year-old, ensure your little ones know their complete home address, nearby locations, landmarks, neighboring colonies, and so on. Moreover, make sure your children know your contact numbers or emergency numbers to promptly call if they lose their smartphone. These minor but important life skills will help your kids stay aware of their surroundings and navigate if needed.
Knowing how to make the right choices is an essential life skill that will come in handy always
It’s perfectly fine for children to make mistakes because that’s how they learn. Although you can’t control every circumstance, there are a few areas where you can teach your kids to make the right choices, like lifestyle, health, food, friends, etc. Make your little ones understand why healthy choices over unhealthy habits are vital for a good life. While occasional binging is acceptable, regular exercise, proper diet, etc., is crucial to maintain good health.
Apart from these life skills, it’s equally important to teach your children about the importance of respect, money, personal boundaries, gratitude, helping others, advocating for themselves, and expressing their feelings. These skills will help your little ones not only now but also as adults. So, parents, if you haven’t yet started teaching these basic life skills to your kids, start now because it’s never too late.
